brother to brother

Hutch was about to give up on ever tracking down Hansen, and then he remembered the grocery store. He knew he was a procrastinator at best, but, he had to see his little brother some time.

Hutch knew soon enough he'd surprised the hell out of Hansen when he tapped on the glass of the pizza window. That look of Hansen's face was priceless.

"Hey, lil bro, did I scare you?" Hutch smiled.

Naturally, Hansen stood their timid as usual, waiting for Hutch to put him in a headlock, but he didn't.

"You. been laying low, hadn't, you missed me?" Hutch teased with his quick smile.

"I guess." Hansen went to get him a slice of pizza and met him in the dining hall. Hutch got himself a drink of sweet tea and sat down with Hansen.

"I met that girlfriend of yours," Hutch couldn't help but grin. "She's pretty sweet. You, do have, good taste, lil bro."

"She's not my girlfriend." Hansen looked him in the eye, all straight lipped even if he looked a bit sad.

"Ex, I mean." Hutch shrugged with a sideway smile that meant he wasn't that hurt about it. Actually, he thought Daisy was the prettiest thing he'd seen in a very long time.

"We. Look, just leave her alone, OK." Hansen pressed his lips tight.

"Whatever, it is a free country, lil bro." Hutch kept smiling. Nothing was gonna ruin his day. He did know where Daisy lived. "Look, I'm not here to bug, you for money. Cause I gotta job and it includes dental and health insurance. So I'm fine. I'm making a living now. Don't want to cause you any trouble. Just wanted to make sure you were alive and kicking."

"I'm fine." Hansen sucked in a breath, but Hutch messed with his hair, anyway.

"So where you stay'n lil man?" Hutch asked after he'd finished off the hot cheesy pizza slice.

"You, don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself." Hansen swelled a frown.

"Stop this stuff, like I don't give a damn." Hutch winced as he leaned back in the plastic booth. "You, know I do. You know, I don't rob banks. I was just doing Dad a favor."

"Evidently, you're not all that good at it." Hansen told him.

Hutch just smiled.

"Yeah, I'm really too pretty to be an outlaw, and so are you?" Hutch couldn't help but joke. Although, he was not going to the slammer, again. That was not the way he wanted to spend his life. "Just tell me, what's going on with you. You're just a kid. I dunno how, you did it. Being out here on your own, like this. I just want to know, if you're really OK. And if..if you need any help."

"I told you, I'm fine." Hansen looked a bit pissed now, as if he didn't want Hutch to help him.

"Come on, you gotta have some support. What gives? Did you find Granny? Is she helping you?" Hutch wanted to get along with his little brother.

Hansen shook his head, no.

"Look, I got me this little place. Its not much. Barely, a studio..but.."

"I don't need your help." Hansen assured him. "I'm living with my girlfriend and her parents."

"Girlfriend?" Hutch grinned. "Living with the parents? Well, I gotta say, I didn't see that one coming." He sucked on his sweet tea. "So do I get to meet her, some time?"

"Why?" Hansen shrugged as if he'd have no part of it.

"Cause, lil dude, we're family." Hutch wasn't going anywhere. He was working at the meat packing plant, cleaning up the floor.